Air-launched unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

In one embodiment, a wing for an unmanned aerial vehicle is described. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a first body of the wing with a first end proximate a body of the vehicle. A second end is opposite the first end. A first joint is on the first end of the first main body of the wing. The joint rotatably couples the wing to the vehicle. A second joint is on the second end of the vehicle. A second body of the wing is rotatably coupled to the first body via the second joint.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
 a fuselage; 
 a first wing and a second wing each having a first main wing body and a second main wing body, each of the first main wing bodies having a first end configured to be mounted to a top side of the fuselage, and a second end opposite the first end; 
 a first joint positioned at the first end of the first main wing bodies, the first joint rotatably coupling the first and second wings to the fuselage to permit the first main wing bodies to rotate from a retracted position aligned parallel with the fuselage to a forward rotated position extending at an angle relative to the fuselage, the first joint connecting the first and second wings to the vehicle at a single pivot point; 
 a second joint positioned at the second end of each of the first main wing bodies; 
 the second main wing bodies are rotatably coupled to the first main wing bodies via the second joint, the second joint permitting the second main wing bodies to rotate from a stowed position in a downward and outward direction relative to the first main wing bodies and into a deployed position in alignment with the first main body; 
 a folding tail pivotally connected to the fuselage at a canted hinge line relative to a longitudinal dimension of the fuselage such that the tail is movable from a stowed orientation extending along the longitudinal dimension along a side of the fuselage to a deployed orientation extending at a right angle to the longitudinal dimension; 
 a drogue chute coupled to a tail end of the fuselage to suspend the fuselage during transformation of the vehicle from a stowed configuration to a flight configuration using aerodynamic forces to deploy the first and second wings and the tail. 
 
     
     
       2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the first joint is a pin joint and the second joint is a hinge joint. 
     
     
       3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the hinge joint comprises:
 a lever arm; 
 a fulcrum positioned on the first main wing body about which the lever arm pivots; 
 a pivot joint connecting the lever arm to the second main wing body. 
 
     
     
       4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the hinge joint further comprises:
 a tension element connected to the lever arm and positioned to exert an unfolding moment force to the second main wing body. 
 
     
     
       5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism operable to lock the first main wing body and the second main wing body in an operable condition. 
 
     
     
       6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises:
 a groove formed in a first wing spar; 
 a latch member formed in a second wing spar. 
 
     
     
       7. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the canted hinge line is canted at a 45 degree angle to the longitudinal dimension. 
     
     
       8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the first main wing body is pivotally coupled to a top side of the fuselage with a single axis wing pin. 
     
     
       9. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom side of the first main wing body faces a bottom side of the second main wing body when the wing is in a collapsed position. 
     
     
       10. A method of deploying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
 providing the unmanned aerial vehicle with a fuselage, first and second wings, a folding tail, and a drogue chute, the first and second wings each including first and second wing spars, the first and second wings being mounted to a top side of the fuselage at a common location with a single pin connection that connects the first and second wings to each other and to the fuselage; 
 rotating the first and second wings from a retracted position in alignment with a longitudinal dimension of the fuselage in a forward direction about the pin connection and into an extended position arranged at an angle relative to the fuselage; 
 rotating the second wing spar about a hinge connection from a stowed position overlapping and below the first wing spar in a downward and away direction relative to the first wing spar and into a deployed position in alignment with the first wing spar; 
 locking the first wing spar and the second wing spar in an operable position; 
 rotating the folding tail about a hinge line that is cantered relative to a longitudinal dimension of the fuselage, the tail being movable from a stowed orientation extending along the longitudinal dimension along a side of the fuselage to a deployed orientation extending at a right angle to the longitudinal dimension; 
 wherein the drogue chute is coupled at a tail end of the fuselage to suspend the fuselage during transformation of the vehicle from a stowed configuration to a flight configuration using aerodynamic forces to deploy the first and second wings and the tail. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing a canister; 
 inserting the UAV in the canister; 
 deploying the UAV from the canister prior to rotating the first and second wings, the second spars, or the folding tail. 
 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 putting the canister with inserted UAV in a free fall state; 
 slowing the descent of the canister with inserted UAV prior to deploying the UAV. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein slowing the descent further comprises deploying the drogue chute, the drogue chute being attached to an aft-end of the canister. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 putting the canister with inserted UAV in a free fall state; 
 deploying stabilizing drag surfaces at an aft end of the canister prior to deploying the UAV. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 opening a hatch proximate a fore-end of the canister; 
 wherein deploying the UAV from the canister includes deploying the UAV through the hatch. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 after deploying the UAV from the canister:
 deploying a propeller of the UAV; 
 releasing a lanyard connecting the UAV to the canister; 
 transitioning the UAV to flight. 
 
 
     
     
       17. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
 a fuselage; 
 first and second wings each comprising:
 a first wing member pivotally coupled to the fuselage with a first pivot joint, the first pivot joint providing a single connection point for connecting both of the first and second wings to the fuselage, the first pivot joint including a single pin connection, the first wing member being rotatable in a forward direction about the first pivot joint between a first position arranged in alignment with a longitudinal dimension of the fuselage and a second position arranged at an angle relative to the fuselage; 
 a second wing member pivotally coupled to the first wing member with a second pivot joint, the second pivot joint including a hinge connection, the second wing member being rotatable between a stowed position below and overlapping with the first wing member, and a deployed position rotated downward and outward and into alignment with the first wing member; 
 
 wherein the first and second wings are each movable during transformation of the vehicle from a stowed configuration to a flight configuration using aerodynamic forces. 
 
     
     
       18. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein the first wing member is pivotable about a first axis oriented perpendicular to a length dimension of the fuselage, and the second wing member is pivotable about a second axis oriented parallel with the length dimension of the fuselage. 
     
     
       19. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein the second wing is positioned between the fuselage and the first wing when the first wing members are in the first position. 
     
     
       20. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the common connection point for the first and second wings to the fuselage is defined by the pin connection. 
     
     
       21. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 17 , further comprising a folding tail pivotally connected to the fuselage at a canted hinge line relative to a longitudinal dimension of the fuselage such that the tail is movable from a stowed orientation extending along a side of the fuselage in the longitudinal dimension to a deployed orientation extending at a right angle to the longitudinal dimension of the fuselage. 
     
     
       22. The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 21 , wherein the tail is movable into the deployed orientation after the first wing members move from the first position into the second position.